The Ones: Rico Nasty’s “Guap (LaLaLa)”

With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear curated by the Levels team. We sort through all the new songs—across all the platforms and subgenres—so you don’t have to. Thank us later.

Rico Nasty - “Guap (LaLaLa)”

Kenny Beats has had a massive 2018. And few rapper/producer combos have the chemistry that Kenny has with P.G. County’s, Md. rapper Rico Nasty. Over the last year, Rico has used the loud and aggressive production of Kenny to unleash a more belligerent side of her music. It has helped Rico become one of hip-hop’s most compelling voices, as she continues to develop her sound.

On “Guap (LaLaLa)” Rico has so much aggression in her voice, that often it feels like she’s close to flipping her lid. The instrumental by Kenny Beats is just a stuttering bass and a background vocal of Rico reciting, “La la la la la.” From the jump, the song is hectic, with Rico putting the same relentless energy into calling out the frauds (“See you actin’ like you hard, but that is somethin’ that you not”) as she does when she flexes (“Four bundles in my head, two bands in my feet”). Rico’s music is all about the style, boldness, and the rip-a-hater’s-wig-off spirit, and “Guap (LaLaLa)” is no different.